Buying other people's soap

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I will buy other people's soap once I have perfected my recipes and have something to compare.

I am fussy though and won't buy anything with SLS or chemical other additives ( other than FOs). I won't buy soap that doesn't list the ingredients. I understand people want to keep their recipe a secret but I can't use certain ingredients because I am allergic to them so won't risk it.
 
I've bought from Great Cakes Soapworks, Zum Bars and a few local companies in NY State. The absolute BEST one I've used- Morning Mist Farms. I'd be honored if my soap ever compared to theirs and they smelled amazing. Zum Bars, or however you call it, made my skin itch like a beast AND I hate their claims about soap. I wouldn't accept their soap as a gift at all. Great Cakes wasn't as good as Morning Mist IMO but they were still stellar and gentle. If I could justify shipping, I could order more from them but I can't.
 
I frequently purchase other peoples soap. I have a small-ish box of soaps made by other soapers. I love them. <3
 
There are quite a few soapers I would like to buy from.
But with our dollar being so bad I just can't justify the postage or the cost.
I really like Missouri river soap and Auntie Clara's.
 
I will buy other people's soap once I have perfected my recipes and have something to compare.

I am fussy though and won't buy anything with SLS or chemical other additives ( other than FOs). I won't buy soap that doesn't list the ingredients. I understand people want to keep their recipe a secret but I can't use certain ingredients because I am allergic to them so won't risk it.

I read every label, and won't buy any un-labelled soap. I have allergies, also. I am very picky, but I learn quite a bit from those bars I buy.
 
oh yes - I love to try other soapers' creations. Except one time - choco mint swirl, pretty very pretty, but the scent was not to my liking, nor my DH. a bit strong.

eh I've done worse. I am half-way through curing a neem/tea-tree soap right now, and once in a while I catch a whiff off guard. ahem. oosh.

Suz
 
Saponista, you inspired me to buy some of Aunti Clara's soaps. I ordered them 2/22 and they arrived just now! She threw a cute sample of her travel soaps in the box. There was a lovely hand written note, too. Her soaps are packaged beautifully. When I took them out of the box "sexy" is the first thing that came to mind. Oh my gosh. They're actually quite simply done, but very effective. And yes, sexy.

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There are quite a few soapers I would like to buy from.
But with our dollar being so bad I just can't justify the postage or the cost.
I really like Missouri river soap and Auntie Clara's.

Wanna swap soaps?
 
Oh wow Teresa, those look lovely too. Which is your favourite? Mine so far is the Violet, but I have only opened the Violet and the carnation ones.
 
Saponista, it's a toss-up between the African Afternoon and the Sandlewood Vanilla. I haven't opened anything but the Black Lace yet. It lathers well and feels nice; however, I'm not overjoyed with the fragrance. Since I had no idea what geranium rose or vetiver smelled like, it was a big risk. At least it is not extremely floral. If it was, it would definitely have been a gift. The Tradional Pine Tar Soap makes me gag! Again, I had no idea what pine tar smelled like, so I decided to buy a bar of soap. I'll eventually give it a go and see if I like it. If I do, I'll add it to the list of soaps I make. However, that will not be made until the garage is converted or I get the shed ready to be a drying room. I can at least make the soap in the yard and put it in the shed right away.

Enny: the paper is not handmade after all. I realized that when I opened the bar of soap. It is printed on one side. I'm actually saving the wrapping and labels from the Black Lace soap. I may from all of them. I really love her packaging and may attempt to brazenly steal the idea when I eventually start selling soap (six long years from now). However, I'm sure I'll see other packaging that I fall in love with between now and then and will have to have samples of that, too.
 
Saponista, did your Aunt Clara's soaps make your skin dry? So far, I've only opened the Black Lace and it did mine. I'm not sure if it is the palm oil or the fragrance oil. I've never used palm and I'm light with the FOs. This soap is very fragrant. However, I have skin issues and commercial soap (especially Dial and Ivory for some reason) makes my skin hurt. I'll save this for a hand soap only and try one of the Pine Tar bar. It has lard, cow's milk, coconut oil, castor oil, lanolin, pine tar and hydrolized merino wool. I've never used pine tar before, but I have no issues or sensitivities to any of the other ingredients. (I love lanolin and merino wool! Never thought to use wool in soap. Hmmmm.)


ETA photo. Ha! It's got a sheepie on it!!

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I didn't feel like it made my skin dry, but I use palm oil in my soaps anyway so my skin is used to it. I also think she uses a low superfat, that's what it feels like to me anyway. I am one of those people who uses a low superfat myself though as I really don't like the feeling of the excess oils in the higher superfat soaps, so it may be a case of your skin just not being used to a different type of recipe.

If it is a superfat thing then the lanolin and pine tar may make the bar more mousturising so fingers crossed you will like that one better. My pine tar bars do wonders for my husband's eczema. It's such a shame that EU safety assessors won't allow pine tar in soap any more :(
 
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